Tokyo in One Day: Asakusa Station & Shibuya Station — Guide Masa

Title: What Is a Full-Day Private Tokyo Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report Covering Asakusa, the Imperial Palace, Meiji Shrine, and Shibuya

The guests were a group visiting Japan from North America, all for the first time. One of the guests was studying Japanese, mentioning, "I am studying Japanese history and can speak a little Japanese."

They had arrived at Narita Airport a week earlier, then flew straight to Kansai Airport. After staying in Osaka, Nara, and Kyoto, they arrived in Tokyo this morning. They plan to stay in Tokyo for four more days before returning home, and tomorrow they will take a day trip to Mount Fuji. They commented, "Tokyo is much hotter and more humid than where we come from. It's tiring."

The tour was conducted in a mix of English and Spanish, and it took place in extreme heat.

Asakusa was very crowded. There were many questions, such as "When was this temple built?", "Why are there so many people here?", "Do all Japanese people believe in Buddhism?", and "Are there people who believe in religions other than Buddhism?" There were also questions like "What kind of teachings does Buddhism have? I would like to know in detail." Everyone drew omikuji fortunes, and one of the guests was disappointed to draw a "bad luck" fortune.

At the Tokyo National Museum, they obtained a Spanish-language guide booklet. They were especially fascinated by the exhibits of Buddhist statues, swords, and the tea ceremony. There was also a question about the difference between Noh and Kabuki. They purchased postcards at the shop.

The East Gardens of the Imperial Palace were also very crowded despite the heat. There were questions such as "When was this built as a castle?" and "Why did Edo Castle become the Imperial Palace?" I explained the nature and history of the Japanese Imperial family. They also asked, "Does the Emperor live inside here?", "What is the relationship between the Emperor and the Prime Minister?", and "Who will become the next Emperor?"

Since they said they were hungry, everyone ordered a "katsudon and soba" set at a standing soba shop inside the station. They said, "The katsudon is wonderful and delicious."

At Meiji Shrine, there were questions such as "What is the purpose of the torii gate?" and "Do Japanese people believe in Buddhism or Shinto?" There was also a question like "Why did the Meiji Restoration happen?"

We took a break at the café near Meiji Shrine and then strolled along Takeshita Street. While walking along Takeshita Street, they said, "We would like to come to a cat café tomorrow."

After that, we moved to Shibuya and crossed the Scramble Crossing. They commented, "The whole city is clean and beautiful," and "The subway is quiet, and no one is being noisy. However, it is too complicated and hard to understand. I realized it is far safer than the subway back home."

We parted ways at Shibuya Station.

Click here for more details: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide

Tour Report by Masa

Guiding career:
Guide work started in July 2022. A guide focused on FIT compliance.
FY2022 results: 17 cases, FY2023 results: 97
Destinations: Various places in Tokyo, Hakone, Kamakura and Nikko
As a recent group travel record, in October 2023, we have a track record of guiding a group of 33 people from Singapore to Narita Airport transfer plus sightseeing in Tokyo.
Self-introduction:
In the past, I was stationed in Canada, the United States, and Mexico as an expatriate of a Japanese bank for over 11 years.
Since I have been mainly involved in the financing business in the United States for a long time, I think I am able to provide interpretation and translation services related to business and finance.
I am a certified CPA in the United States.
In addition, for three years from April 2016, I will be engaged in Japanese-English translation work (part-time), and I can also handle translation work.
Although I don’t have a qualification in Spanish, but I think I can handle day to day conversation in Spanish without any problems.
My hobby is trekking and from time to time, take a walk around mountains near Tokyo like Mt. Takao, Tanzawa, etc. I think it is possible to provide tourist information here as well.
Since April 2015, I have been working as a Tokyo Metropolitan Tourism Volunteer and Tokyo Metropolitan Disaster Prevention Volunteer.
One more, I have a separate house near Asuka Village, Nara prefecture, and I stay there for a total of about 30 days every year and have been enjoying sightseeing personally in the vicinity. Therefore, I think in the Kansai region, especially in Nara, Asuka, Yoshino, Koyasan, Kumano Kodo, etc., where I think I will be able to tour guide with confidence.